1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a granular ceramic for use when burning hydrocarbon oil, which makes it possible to improve the combustion efficiency of hydrocarbon oil, especially of petroleum products such as gasoline, gas oil, kerosene, and heavy oil, and to reduce unburned hydrocarbons, CO and generation of NO.sub.x emissions, and to alleviate blackened smoke fumes produced thereby, in exhaust gases discharged during combustion. The present invention also relates to a method of producing a granular ceramic for use when burning hydrocarbon oil.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various techniques for improving the combustion efficiency of petroleum products such as gasoline, gas oil, kerosene, and heavy oil have been hitherto investigated. Especially, at present, shortage of crude oil is a common problem in the world, and environmental problems are being discussed on a global scale. In such circumstances, in response to the demands for energy conservation and improvement of the environment, technological developments for efficient burning apparatuses and burning methods, as well as technological developments for the purpose of waste heat recovery are being actively performed.
When it is intended to practically use such a burning technique for energy conservation in a plant, or with equipment for production on an industrial scale, the most important problem is whether or not the investment in energy saving equipment will produce a satisfactory and cost-effective result in terms of energy savings. In the case of household oil burning machines and private automobiles used by ordinary consumers, it is undesirable if an accessory unit for energy savings excessively raises the price of the overall device as a commercial product. It is also important that such an accessory unit can be handled conveniently and safely by ordinary consumers. Taking such problems into consideration, the following suggestions have been made in order to more feasibly realize technological developments for efficient burning apparatuses and burning methods. Namely, it is a fact that combustion efficiency can be increased, and generation of unburned hydrocarbons and CO levels can be decreased, and as a result generation of blackened smoke fumes can be alleviated together with reduction in the generation of NO.sub.x emissions, by converting giant molecule groups of hydrocarbon oils into smaller molecule groups. An exemplary hydrocarbon oil, for which this technique can be implemented, is petroleum, in which several tens, hundreds, or even more hydrocarbon molecules make hydrogen bonds with each other, forming one molecule group. This fact has been confirmed by various experiments.
Known methods, which are effective as means for converting giant molecule groups of hydrocarbon oils into smaller molecule groups include 1) a method in which the hydrocarbon oils are irradiated with far infrared radiation, and 2) a method in which hydrocarbon oils are brought into contact with minerals having, for example, a high cation exchange ability, or wherein hydrocarbon oils are mixed with such minerals.